Illuminating toy



April 9, 1935. s. BIGELOW' ILLUMINATING TOYY Filed Nov. 25, 1933 INVENTOR.

M w m/ T 4 w n A p 1 Patented Apr. ,9, 1935 ILLUMINATI NG 'roY ,L'ucy stowe Big el owfKansasCity, Mo; I Application November 23, 1933, Serial No.. 699,414}

I My, invention relates to imprcveme t li nr 'luminating toys. 7

One'of the objects. of my invention is tohpro videin'a toy of a type in which a member simulating in miniature a particular-object, such as a' Christmas tree, is movable toa'nd from an erect position, novel means illuminated when moved to theerect position.

Aiurtherobject of my invention is to provide in a toy of thetype referred. to, and which has means for moving it to the erect position, with novel means,'actuated by saidmoving means, for" illuminating the structure when it moves to the erect position, and which provides for stopping the illumination when the member moves from the erectpositionu W Another object of my invention is to provide a hollow member, which simulates in miniature a particular object, such asa Christmas tree, .or

1 lighthouse, and which has portions permeable to light, combined. with novel means for projecting light from the interior outwardly through said portions; f W

Stillan'otherobject offmy invention is to pro vide a novel illuminating toy of the kind described, which is simple, cheap, relatively durable and-'not'likelyto"getjout of order, which ineludes lighting means including a battery, ar-

ranged to bereplaced readily when exhausted,

and which is ornamental and will afford enter? tainment to grown people as wellas children.

The novel features of my invention are herein;

after fully described-and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates 7 my invention, Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form of my invention provided with a member simulating in miniature a Christmas tree, and showing the Christmas tree in a reclining position.

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly broken away, of the structure shown in Fig. 1, showing the Christmas tree in the erect position.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of what isshown in Fig. 2. r I

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of what is shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of what is shown in Fig. 1. V

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 1--'I of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly broken away, of a modification in which the illuminated member simulates; in miniature a lighthouse.

Similar characters of reference designate similar parts in the difierent views;

prising, preferably,

by which the member is 4, of paper orthe'like,

. plate I fastened to terminal of the lamp being located, as usual, within and insulated from the inner terminal 9 of In each of the views, is shown a. support coma paper box I having a cover Hinged to and on the top of 2 hinged thereto;

the cover. 2 is a base member 3, which is of ine sulatioh material," such as-pasteboard.

mountedon the base member 3' a hollow member miniature a particular object comprising a Christ mas tree having portions permeableto light .com-

prising holes covered,-preferably,with translw' cent colored sheet material 4' through: which light is adapted to be 'projectedsfrom the inte rior outwardly by an electric lamp .5, which has a threaded stem 6 removably fitted'in a metal and which "simulates in j I the under side of the base member 3, and which is adapted to have conduc'- tive contact with a spring plateB fastened to the innerside of thebottom of the box I, Figs. 5 and '7. The outerpart of the st'em I5 constitutes one 5, the other terminal '9' the stemt, and adapted, when the tree 3 erect, as shown Figs. 2, 3, 5 and! to contact with a spring conductive plate It mounted in the' boxI.- 6 I Abatteryl I isrmovably shaped flange l2 in the box I. has two resilient terminals I3 and mounted within at The battery 'EII H! which normally respectively contact withthe spring contactplates-B and l0. 1 1

When the. Christmas tree member 4-is' in the erect position, shown in Figs. 2, 3, 5 and 7, the

contact plate 8 will bear'ag'ai'nstthe contact plate 1, and the spring contact plate Iflwill bear against the lamp 5.

In such position of the parts, the current will flow from the battery terminal I3 through the contact plate 8, contact plate I, lamp terminal. 6, lamp 5, lamp terminal 9, spring plate I0, and battery terminal l4, thereby lighting the lamp 5, the rays from which, will be projected through the colored sheet material 4', making the structure 4 simulate a lighted Christmas tree.

For swinging the Christmas tree 4 to the erect position, there is provided an operating handle comprising a member l5 slidable longitudinally on the under side of the cover 2, and extending outwardlythrough said cover and over the upper edge of the end of the'box I distant from the tree so; I

4. Two cords I6 fastenedto the inner end of the member I5 extend respectively through the opposite end of the box I, and are fastened to' the base member 3. When the member I5 is drawn" outwardly,

the cords. I6 will swing the :5: In the form shown'in Figs. 1 to 7, there is and is provided with openings lowered by pressure Christmas tree 4, with which it isconnected by a,

cord Hi. When the Christmas tree 4 is reclining, the figure [1 will .be recumbent under'the tree. When the tree isswung to the erect position, the cord i 8 will swing the figure H to'the erect.position, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5. I

When the battery H becomes exhausted, the the battery lifted from' and a new battery substituted cover 2 may be raised, and within the box I,

for the exhausted one.

As the Christmas tree is swung to thelowered l5 will be drawn rearwardly,

l5 to the inner posiposition, the, cords 7 thus retracting the member tion, shownin Fig. l. V

In the form shownin Fig. 8, the hollow member. 7 l9, simulates a lighthousa'which is mounted upon the base member 3, in, place of the Christmas tree, 29 simulating win dows covered with red tinted sheet material 4' through which light "is projected from the lamp Son the base3, when the. lighthouse is swung to] the erect position, shown in. Fig.v .8; V

The remainder of the structure corresponds to What has alreadybeen described with reference to the other form of my invention, excepting that the lighthouse i9 is substituted on the base 3 for the Christmas tree.

: v For permittingreadyaocess to the lamp 5, the

paper or similar material from which the Christ- :mas tree is composed, is provided adjacent to the V the lamp 5 from U shaped ,slit2l,.Fig. 1, which that may be swung outwardly to of thefingers for unscrewing the plate 7, when the lamp is burned out and another is to be substituted there- ,for. U f a A similar flap.23 isprovided in the lighthouse l9-adiacent to the lamp 5, for-a similar purpose.

In each form of my invention shown, the box I, illuminated member-4H9) battery ll, lamp 5and means are united together to form an integral structure disposable as a unit.

Many modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

lamp 5 with a form'sa flap 22 permit insertion.

What. I claim is:-

, 1. Inan illuminatingtoy, the combination with spectively closing controlling means into and removable from said posed to project light on said member when the latter is erect, and circuit controlling means actuated by the moving of said member to and from r the erect positionrfor respectively closing and opening said circuit, said box, member, battery, lamp and circuit controlling means being united together to form an integral structure disposable as a unit.

2. In an illuminating toy, the combination with l a box having an opening and a cover movable to and fromra position" closing said opening, of a member pivoted. to and movable'on the upper side of said cover -.to and from an erect position and simulating in miniature a particular object, an electric circuit including inrseries two contacts, a battery insertable into and removable from said boxthrough said openinggan electric lamp disposed to project light on, said member when the latteris erect, and circuit'controllin'g means actuated by, to and from the erect position for respectively wholly bysaid box "tion, means, battery, lamp and means being united together structure disposable as a unit.

3. In an illuminating toy, the combination with a box having an opening and a hinged cover movable to and from a position'closing said opening, of a member hinged to said cover so as to swing to and from an erect position thereon and simu-- lating a particular object, means carried wholly said box, member, moving circuit controlling to form, an integral by said box forswinging said member to the erect position, and an electric circuit including in series two contacts, ,a battery insertable into, and removable from saidbox through said opening, an

electric lamp disposed to project light on said the moving of said'member member whenthe' latter is erect, and circuit con'' a trolling means actuated by the moving of said;

member to and from V and opening said. circuit, said box, memben-battery, lamp, swinging means and an integral structure disposable as a unit.

being united together to form 

